The Queen's Gauntlet
by deathgeonous
Summary: Ranma Witchblade crossover. Summery inside. Version Two, Spelling and Grammar Changes plus fixed mistake in Disclaimer Fixed title mistake.
1. The Begining of the end

AN: Stop me! Stop me before I create again! Ah, hmm, any way, this is my latest Ranma ½ story, which is a crossover with the Witchblade, as in the Witchblade is actually in the story, not the cast of the Witchblade story.

Summery: After the Failed wedding attempt, Ranma is discussing how to solve the Fiancée mess he's in with Hiroshi and Daisuke, whom take it upon them selves to solve it. And they actually succeed. How in the world did that happen? Anyway, Ranma, goes to China to become an Amazon Warrior, and that will be explained logically, with Akane, and ends up with the Witchblade, giving Ranma a whole new set of problems, including being the first Queen of the Amazons since the tribes founding! And no, Ranma will not be locked in any way shape or form during this story, although, the Amazons will want him female while she's ruling, and the Witchblade it's self will get into a war of wills to try to get Ranma to stay female, but which of them will win the war of wills?

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma ½. I do not own the Witchblade. I do not own any other fictional person place or thing used in this story. I do not own any real person place or thing used in this story. The story it's self is mine however.

THE QUEEN'S GAUNTLET

PROLOGUE

THE BEGINNING OF THE END

AND THE START OF A NEW BEGINNING

(Or how Hiroshi and Daisuke solved the fiancée mess.)

Ranma was in his girl form, following Cologne and Shampoo to the Amazon village to become an Amazon Warrior. Akane was by his, no at the moment it was her side. "So, how did this happen again?" Akane asked for the umpteenth time that hour alone. Ranma, who had been quite board, had been giving this question some serious thought.

"It's all Hiroshi's and Daisuke's fault." Ranma said slowly, remembering all the events that had happened to lead to this.

"And how is it all their fault Ranma? You've told me bits and pieces, and I know the final out come, but you've never told me the whole story." Akane said.

Ranma sighed. They were still a few good hours away from the village, and telling the story might eat up most of the time to it. "Well," Ranma began "I was talking with Hiroshi and Daisuke a few days after that wedding attempt."

START FLASHBACK ONE

"Ranma? You ok dude?" Hiroshi asked seeing how depressed Ranma was looking.

"Hiroshi, man, his wedding just blew up in his face dude!" Daisuke yelled at Hiroshi.

"So it's not like he wanted to marry her!" Hiroshi yelled back.

"I did." Ranma said so softly that they almost didn't hear him. Almost being the key word here.

"What!" They both yelled at him in shock.

"I wanted to marry her. Still do, but I can't." Ranma said in a soft voice.

"Why can't you?" Daisuke asked puzzled.

"It's not honorable." Ranma said softly.

"Um, you are honor bound to marry her, so why…" Hiroshi started to ask, when Ranma finished his thoughts.

"Is it not honorable? If I marry Akane, I ruin Ukyo's honor, and Shampoo will be killed. I can't have that. Plus there's what? 28? 29? Or even more fiancée's in total? Whom I'm all honor bound to marry? If I marry Akane, everyone loses their honor, or their life, or both. I can't do that. If I thought it would solve anything, I'd lock myself as a girl, so all the engagements would become null and void. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized, it just wouldn't work. In fact it would be worse. I guess I'll just have to go to mom, and ask her to be my second. I never will be manly enough for her anyway." Ranma said sinking into depression.

Hiroshi and Daisuke looked at each other, and thinking the same thoughts, as only two people who know each other better then anyone can, nodded, and said at the same time, "You're coming with us Ranma!" they said, grabbing either arm and dragging him away.

They ended up at his mom's house, which was still being rebuilt, but his mom refused to leave it. As the three of them met with Nodoka, Hiroshi said to her, "Mam, we need to talk to you about Ranma, privately. Ranma, you wait here while we talk to your mom, and whatever you do, don't interrupt us." He said.

"Really now? And what do the friends of my manly son need to talk to me about with out him?" she asked as Ranma's face twitched.

"In private mam." Daisuke said. Nodoka nodded, and they went to another room. A few minutes latter, all Ranma heard was loud yelling. 'They are getting into a shouting match with my mom? Are they nuts?" Ranma asked himself. As soon as he heard dishes stated to be thrown around, he was at the door and opening it when Daisuke screamed, "Ranma don't you dare come in here! We've got it all under control! Now stay out!" He yelled. Ranma didn't know what to do, so he did nothing. He just sat down in the chair he had been sitting in, and waited.

After an hour or so of the verbal war going on in there, a disheveled looking Hiroshi and Daisuke came out with a Nodoka that looked even worse.

"Son," Nodoka began "Am I to understand that you don't think you can marry Akane, because of the other engagements? You do not want to ruin the honor of Ukyo or have Shampoo be killed? Is that really what will happen to her if you marry Akane?" she asked in a weary voice.

"Yes. If I marry any one but her, her tribe will kill her." Ranma stated flatly.

"That's horrible. Why can't you take them both on as mistresses?" Nodoka asked.

Ranma glared at his mother while Daisuke yelled "Because it would ruin his relationship with Akane! This is the twenty first century! Not the sixteenth! We don't have mistresses any more! Get your head out of your little dream world and into our reality! Your son wants to ask you to be his second, so everyone's honor stay's intact! Now do you really want that? Do you really want to watch your son DIE like YOUR contract say's he should? HE WANTS TO DIE! JUST TO GET EVERYONE OUT OF THIS MESS YOU AND YOUR IDIOT HUSBAND CREATED! AND WE WON'T ALLOW IT! HE'S OUR BEST FRIEND AND YOU ARE GOING TO SOVLVE THIS WITH US, OR WE ARE REPORTING BOTH YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND TO THE ATHORTIES ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT! HE'S TOLD US EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING! AND IT MAKES US SICK! IF THIS KEEPS UP, HE'LL EITHER KILL HIMSELF, OR ALL OF NERIMA! SO IT'S TIME TO CLEAN UP YOUR MESS MISS SAOTOME! OR BY ALL THE KAMIS WE'LL MAKE YOU PAY!" Daisuke ended up yelling at a shocked Nodoka.

"What have we done so wrong with him?" Nodoka asked.

"Like you don't know!" Hiroshi yelled at her.

"She doesn't. I never told her what pop did." Ranma said in shame.

"Why?" Hiroshi asked Ranma.

"I didn't want her to kill him." Ranma honestly said.

"You are going to tell me everything right now young man!" Nodoka yelled at him.

"Fine." Ranma sighed. He never could refuse his mother anything. So he, for the first time, told his mother his true life story, leaving nothing out. As he spoke, Nodoka's grip on the family honor blade got tighter and tighter, till you could hear her knuckles creak.

As he finished she said, "I will have to have, words with my husband." Seeing the look of panic on her son's face, she softened her facial expression and said, "I won't kill him, but I will make him wish for death by the time I'm done. I can no longer stay married to the fool. I'm sorry Ranma, but, I'm getting a divorce." She said with tears in her eyes. "That, he's no longer the man I married, he won't even come home, and for the things he's done to you, I'll see him in jail!" she said hotly, with tears running down her eyes. Seeing her son about to speak, she said "No, you can't change my mind about this. So don't even try Ranma. I know you love him, but I must do this. We'll all meet back here tomorrow to sort out you're fiancée mess. Now go home to the Tendo's and say nothing about this. Do you understand, nothing till it's over." Nodoka said to a shocked Ranma, whom merely nodded.

END FLASHBACK ONE

"So," Ranma said to a wide eyed Akane "That's how it started."

"Hiroshi and Daisuke did that?" Akane asked shocked that anyone would stand up to Ranma's mother like that, let alone make her see any semblance of sense. "And that's why Genma was arrested and she served him with her divorce papers while he was in jail?" she asked wide eyed.

"Yeah, but that's not all they did. They convinced mom to adopt Ukyo, since the government put her as the head of the clan, till I reach twenty one, and she could make her a Saotome with out her marring me, by making her my sister, which I can't believe no one else saw as a way to keep her honor intact. She jumped at the chance, and immediately asked permission to propose to Konatsu. Apparently she was over me, she just needed to become a Saotome to keep her honor. Her father's not to happy, but she doesn't care at the moment, she's to busy planning her wedding." Ranma said to Akane.

"Oh, I was wondering who's idea it was for Nodoka to adopt Ukyo. I wonder who will wear the brides dress?" Akane giggled.

"You do realize we could say the same thing about us?" Ranma asked innocently, causing Akane to stutter.

"That was mean Ranma!" Akane yelled at Ranma.

"So was your comment." Ranma pointed out to her.

"I was just joking. Sorry." Akane said softly. "So what did Daisuke and Hiroshi say to get us into this mess.

"Ah, well you see," Ranma started "We had just finished adopting Ukyo, and went to see the ol… I mean Cologne, at the Neko Hanten…"

START FLASHBACK TWO

"You wanted to see us son-in-law?" Cologne asked, surprised that he not only brought his mother, but two males with him. She didn't know them that well, as they weren't warriors, but she had seen them hanging around Ranma at times, so she assumed they were friends of some kind.

"Yes." Nodoka replied for Ranma. "Am I to understand that unless Shampoo brings Ranma back to your village has her SUBSERVIENT husband, she will die?" Cologne could feel the ice in her words at the word 'subservient' she merely nodded. "And if he marries any one else, she will die?" Nodoka asked with anger in her voice.

"Yes. It is or law." Cologne said sadly.

"Well your 'LAW' sucks you old ghoul! You're on the council, change the damn law!" Ranma shouted.

"I can't! I just can't! It would be seen as favoritism to Shampoo, to get her out of this! And they'd be partially right! I saw long ago that you'd never marry Shampoo," Shampoo gasped, "I'm sorry dear, but he doesn't love you. I can see it. His heart belongs to Akane for some god unknown reason, but I never thought he'd marry her, as he knew full well what would happen to you if he did! He may not love you, but you are one of his closest friends! He would stay a bachelor for eternity so you wouldn't die, or so I thought." Cologne said to a crying Shampoo.

"I would and will." Ranma said flatly.

"Really now? Then why confront us about this now? And the wedding?" Cologne asked.

"Akane was drugged and I was, never mind, I wouldn't of gone through with it with the damage it would do to me, Shampoo and Ukyo. We've taken care of Ukyo, now we want to see if we can't solve Shampoo's problem." Ranma's told Cologne.

"Yes, is there no other way for her to live than to marry my son, or have him never marry so she seems that she's still got a chance at him?" Nodoka asked.

"No, I'm afraid not." Cologne said sadly.

"I think you're forgetting one of your laws." Hiroshi said holding up a book.

"That's, that's an elders law book! How did you get that?" Cologne yelled at a Hiroshi, who then shrugged and then said

"It's amazing what Nabiki can do if you offer her enough money." Hiroshi told a Cologne who then went in to a full body twitch. "Any way, I was referring to this law on the Kiss of Death. And now I quote 'If an Outsider woman successfully avoids the Kiss of Death attacks, the giver of the Kiss of Death then may then offer the recipient of the Kiss of Death a choice to become an Amazon Warrior or to be forever hunted.'" He said, and then he handed Cologne the book.

"I think Ranma technically qualifies for this offer, as SHE got the Kiss of Death, and avoided the subsequent attacks on HER life. And since Ranma is a SHE half the time, it makes sense that Ranma AS A SHE can become an Amazon Warrior." Hiroshi told a stunned room. Turning to Ranma he said, "Sorry man, I knew you wouldn't like it, but it was the only way me and Daisuke could find in the book that would save Shampoo."

"You're right. I absolutely HATE IT!" Ranma yelled. But looking at Shampoo and Cologne, he said "But I'll do it if it would work." Ranma told the two.

Cologne reread the passage for the fifth time. "Yes, you are right. This would work. Shampoo, get a glass of cold water for Ranma. He needs to be a she when you ask. Afterwards I'll contact the village and tell them we invoked the ancient law on her and She agreed to it." Turning to Ranma, she said "So… I mean Ranma, I thank you for this." She said bowing.

"You're welcome ol… I mean Elder Cologne. She is a dear friend, even if I don't love her." Ranma said.

END FLASHBACK TWO

"And then Shampoo gave me a cup of cold water, I changed in to a girl, she asked me to join the Amazons as a Warrior, I said only if I could Stay in Nerima most the time, unless they really needed me, She accepted my condition, and that was that. Now I'm on my way with you to join the Amazons. Why did you insist on coming though?" Ranma asked.

"I'm worried something will go wrong and I'll never see you again unless I'm with you." Akane admitted.

"Nah, you won't get rid of me that easily. Besides, I get the feeling that they'd want me gone fast, as I'm not really a female, and yet I'm still going to be an Amazon Warrior. I'd be a constant embarrassment to them, so I think they'll want me gone fast." Ranma told her.

"You're probably right. But I just have this bad feeling" Akane admitted.

AN: Well there it is, the prologue of my unusual little fusion. Who ever thought that Daisuke and Hiroshi would be the ones to solve this mess? Now onto bigger and messier messes! MHAWHAHAHA! Ok, enough with the insane laughing. Next, Ranma gets tested by the tribe with an ancient gauntlet, and Surprise Surprise, Passes, becoming the first ever Amazon Queen! Oh, he's just going to LOVE this one, not! See you next time.

Version 2. Changed mistake in disclaimer and other spelling grammar changes.


	2. AND WHOM EVER SHALL WEAR THIS GAUNTLET,

AN: I would like to thank my Beta, TheCenturess, and you my dear readers, for waiting for this update.

THE QUEEN'S GAUNTLET

CHAPTER ONE

AND WHOM EVER SHALL WEAR THIS GAUNTLET,

SHALL BE THE QUEEN OF ALL AMAZONS

(Or 'Don't call me Queen!')

"So Saotome, you mind telling us why you're back with the entire Amazon nation as an escort, and all of them calling you Your Majesty? And why are you wearing that strange glove?" Nabiki asked a currently female Ranma, surrounded by what appeared to the untrained eye, as a squad of female body guards. As the guards went to deal with this insult to their Queen, Ranma said

"Hold." And they stopped. Looking at her mother and all the people at the Tendo house looking at her she answered there first question "No I'm not locked, thank God."

"Then…" Nodoka began when Ranma interrupted with

"Why am I a girl? And what's with them calling me Queen? Well, by wearing this 'glove' as Nabiki put it, I am. And they need me to be female most of the time to perform my duties, and it doesn't help that this stupid gauntlet prefers my girl form, and does all it can to make sure I get it with more cold water then I normally do" she said shuttering.

"How…" Kasumi started when Ranma said

"It's intelligent Kasumi, and defiantly prefers my female self."

"Oh my! How did this happen?" Kasumi asked.

"Well it all started as we got near the Amazon Village…" Ranma started.

START FLASHBACK THREE

They were nearing the village, when Ranma told Akane "Akane, don't pick a fight with anyone here, or even give them a reason to pick a fight with you. You're no where near the level of these women."

Akane humphed and looked as if she would say something, when Ranma said

"I know, I know. If I had just started to train you form the start you could be on equal with most of them, and I'm sorry about that. I have started to train you in these past few weeks, so I KNOW you're nowhere up to the level of this tribes women. So for the love of all that is holy, don't get into any fights here. You heard what happed to me, and you probably won't fare as well." Ranma said to an Akane who humphed again and said while turning her head away from Ranma

"You MIGHT be right, but I'm not going to let them walk all over me." Akane said, turning her head back to facing Ranma so she could see the resolve in her eyes.

"I never said to let them do that." Ranma said sighing, "Just not to get into any fights." Ranma told Akane softly.

Akane could see that Ranma was serious, and seriously worried, so she said, "I'll try. But you know Amazons, so I don't know how successful I'll be."

Ranma sighed and said "You're right. But all I can ask is that you try."

Ranma and Akane were led by Cologne and Shampoo to the gates of the Amazon village, where they were then led under guard to a hut. "You will all stay here until the adoption ceremony is ready" one of the guards told them in Mandarin. Ranma and Akane were suddenly very grateful for the strict crash course in Mandarin that Cologne had forced them to take from her.

"This is odd." Cologne said in Japanese.

"What is?" Akane asked in the same langue, seeing that Cologne obviously wanted to keep what she was saying secret from casual eavesdroppers.

"I would have expected them to have the ceremony ready the instant that we came in the village." Cologne said, tapping her chin in thought. "I wonder what's taking them so long?" she wondered aloud.

"Could it be a trap of some kind?" Ranma asked getting nervous. She didn't have great memories of Amazon welcomes in either of her forms.

"No, Ranma. I severely doubt a double cross of any kind. But I DO wonder what's keeping them." Cologne told a worried Ranma.

A little later an armed group of guards showed up and told them in Mandarin "We are here to escort Ranma to her initiation ceremony."

And so they followed the armed group of warriors to the ceremony, all the while a bad feeling was growing in the pit of Ranma's stomach.

As the got to the dais where the other elders awaited the senior one spoke. "Warrior Shampoo," the old woman started "you have invoked an ancient right to make one Ranma Saotome into an Amazon, for her successful attempts at avoiding the Kiss of Death, is that the truth?" the old woman spoke out in Mandarin.

Shampoo responded in the same langue. "Yes that is the truth."

"We of the console have looked into the ancient ritual that goes with this request. The hopeful Amazon must always pass a test. In this hopeful's case, we thought this would be most appropriate." The old woman said, moving to her left so all could see what was hidden behind her. On a pedestal lay an ornate right handed gauntlet. "Ranma all you most do is try on the gauntlet." The old woman said with a sneer.

Cologne hissed in shock, and Ranma had a very bad feeling about this. Turning to Cologne he saw her shake her head and mouth 'I'm sorry.'

Ranma than KNEW her bad feelings were justified. Steeling herself, she squared her shoulders, marched up the dais to the pedestal, grabbed the gauntlet with her left hand, and shoved it on her right hand.

At first nothing happened. In fact Ranma felt let down. She was expecting a big explosion or to die, or to at least lose her hand or something, but just nothing? "Well?" Ranma asked looking at the gauntlet.

'Oh, you'll do. You'll do just fine.' A voice that Ranma knew came from the gauntlet said. It sounded, extremely pleased, as well.

"Shit! It just talked to me!" Ranma said, sparking life into the still crowd again. Trying to pull it off, Ranma found "Shit! It's stuck! Why won't it come off?" Ranma yelled, causing one of the consul members to exclaim

"NO! He can't be the Queen of legend! It's not possible!"

Cologne cackled and said "Rug, I'm sure you'll find that Ranma eats the impossible for breakfast, then asks for seconds and then thirds." She said trying to get her breath back from the laughter that threatened to kill her by asphyxiation.

As Ranma heard the gauntlet say to her 'Are you quite through trying to remove me? I won't let you. I've never found a more worthy bearer.' Ranma stopped tugging on the gauntlet and asked

"Will someone PLEASE tell me what the hell's going on?"

"It's simple Ranma." Cologne started, getting her laughter under control. "The legend of the ancient Amazon's state 'Whom ever shall wear this gauntlet, shall be the queen of all Amazons.'" Cologne said with the utmost sincerity, finally having gotten her laughter under control.

"What?" Ranma yelled Akane yelled the same thing a split second latter.

"It's true, you're now our Queen." Shampoo said, causing Ranma Saotome, the first ever Queen of the Amazons of Joketsuzoku to faint."

END FLASHBACK THREE

"You fainted Ranma?" Kasumi asked while Nabiki was snickering.

"Yeah. Well I was just told I became their new Queen. It was a shock." Ranma said.

"I'll bet." Nabiki said between snickers.

"Oh that was nothing compared to what happened when Ranma woke up." Akane said, drawing her sisters attention.

"Oh really? What happened?" Nabiki said looking back and forth Between Akane and Ranma.

"Oh, you just had to bring that up, didn't you?" Ranma asked Akane.

"Yup!" Akane said cheerfully, while nodding.

"Well then how about I tell them of your title of Royal Consort?" Ranma asked innocently.

"Ranma!" Akane screamed at her.

"Gotta ya back." Ranma said, chuckling.

Nabiki sighed and asked "Well will someone tell us what happened when Ranma woke up?"

"During dinner. Right now I've gotta see that all my 'subjects'," Ranma said shivering "are being housed." And with that Ranma, Akane and the Royal honor guard turned and left.

Five minutes latter they were at the Neko Hanten where Cologne and the other ex-leaders of the tribe and now advisers to the Queen were sitting, going over some papers. As Ranma walked in and they all stood up Ranma sighed and said "Sit back down." And they did so. "I just wanted to see how the housing of the Amazons is going." Ranma said.

"We have bought a hotel and converted it to our use your Majesty." Nair said.

Good, Good. And they know the rules, especially for husband hunting?" Ranma asked.

Rug looked ill as she said "Yes, we got it through to them that if they want a husband from here, no Kisses of Marriage for them. And yes," Rug said seeing the look on Ranma's face "We told them the Kisses of Death were not to be used too." She said looking as if she'd swallowed a bug.

"Good. I'm inviting all of you to the Tendo house for dinner. See you then." Ranma said nodding, then she left.

On the way back to the house Akane asked "Why did you invite them over?"

"I have to get on their good side some how." Was Ranma's only reply.

Akane just nodded in understanding as they entered the house, and went to tell Kasumi of the extra people coming for dinner.


	3. THE START OF A NEW QUEEN'S REIN

THE QUEEN'S GAUNTLET

CHAPTER TWO

THE START OF THE NEW QUEEN'S REIN

(Or, And I just don't want to be Queen!)

As Akane went into the kitchen to talk to Kasumi about the extra guests for dinner, Ranma went to the bath.

After telling her guards that she was not to be disturbed for any reason, she entered the bath. After rinsing herself off with cold water, she entered the nice hot bath she had drawn. Sighing as she turned back into a he, the Gauntlet, that had told him it was named the Witchblade, and which he just called Witchy, which seemed to annoy it, a definite plus in his book, took this moment to speak up.

'So back to your guy form again? We have got to do something about that.' Witchy thought to Ranma in a sighing tone.

"Witchy, don't you even think of trying to lock me. I'm the bearer, and while I MAY now need to be female now more then I'd like too, if you try to lock me, you WILL regret the day your enchantment was ever cast." Ranma told Witchy, looking at it on his hand.

Witchy, seeing into Ranma's mind on all the things he was willing to do to his hand to get back at the permanently attached gauntlet, such as dunking it in acid, if Witchy was ever responsible for another locked episode, Witchy vowed NOT to continue on this line of thinking, at the moment. 'Maybe after Ranma's been a female long enough from being forced to be the Queen of those idiotic Amazons that held me in their stupid treasure vault, she'll see my wisdom in staying female.' It mused to itself, not letting Ranma hear that line of thinking.

Ranma stayed in the bath for as long as possible to stay male, but knew all good thins must come to an end, and that he'd have to be a female tonight at dinner, what with the advisers and the honor guard at dinner. Not that the honor guard would be eating with them, oh no, it just wouldn't be professional, but they would be there. 'In fact,' Ranma thought to himself, 'I would bet that the main reason I have this so called 'honor guard', is to make sure I stay female most of the time I'm in public, to show that they have a Queen instead of a King. Bah, this is horrible.' Ranma thought to himself.

Getting out of the bath and pouring some cold water on himself, she then got in some clean clothes. Finally exiting the bath, Ranma was immediately flanked by her honor guard. Sighing, she led them down stairs, to dinner.

As Ranma sat next to Akane at the dinner table, her twelve honor guards took a circular position around the table. As Kasumi brought dinner to the table, a member of the honor guard went to inspect it.

"Do not touch the food." Ranma said to the guard. "Do not go near the food. Do not even breathe near the food. What did I say about food?" Ranma asked the guard.

"Um, Kasumi's food is always good and welcome and to stop all of Akane's cooking from ever being in your presence?" The guard said hesitatively.

"Good, very good." Ranma said while Akane glared at her. "And whose cooking is this?" Ranma asked.

"Uh, Kasumi's?" The guard said.

"Yes, so what do you do?" Ranma asked patiently.

"Let it through?" The guard asked.

"Yes." Ranma said and the guard stepped aside and Kasumi brought the food to the table. "Sorry Kasumi, some times they get a little over zealous with this whole 'Protect the Queen' shnit." Ranma said, apologizing to Kasumi.

"That's ok Ranma. I'm glad to see them take their duties so seriously. You take good care of Ranma now." Kasumi said smiling and serving the food.

After Kasumi served everyone, including herself and sat down, Nabiki said "Ok Ranma, spill. What happed after you woke up?"

"Do not speak to the Queen so." Rug said stiffly.

Ranma looked at Rug and said "Oh be quiet." Turning to Nabiki Ranma said "The better question would be what happened while I was unconscious. And the answer to that is…"

START FLASHBACK FOUR

"Ughh, what hit me?" Ranma asked. Looking around he saw that he was in a black empty space he was intimately familiar with, his mind. He went here a lot when things became to chaotic in his sleep to sort things out. It was a sort of self defense mechanism his mind worked out so he wouldn't go crazy from his insane life.

"Uh, ok, what happened that I went here again?" Ranma asked out loud. Then remembering his day he said "Oh yeah, that."

Then a bright, bouncing light came up to Ranma. "I can't believe it! I bonded with a male! I feel so, so… violated!" The bright, bouncing light exalamed.

"Um, who are you, and what are you doing here?" Ranma asked. Ranma might not be the most knowledgeable person on psychology, but even he knew that it was a bad thing to be in your private place in your mind and have something else in there too.

"I'm the Witchblade." It said.

"The what?" Ranma asked puzzled.

"The Gauntlet you put on. But you were female! Why do you have a male mind?"

"Because I'm a guy!" Ranma shouted.

"Then how were you a girl when you put me on?" The light asked.

"That was my cursed form!" Ranma screamed.

"Cursed form?" It asked.

"Yeah I have a Jusenkyo curse! I turn into a girl with cold water!" Ranma shouted.

"So you're not a female?" It asked.

"NO!" Ranma shouted.

"But you do turn into one?" The light asked.

"Well yes, but I'm not one!" Ranma said loudly.

"Ok, lets take this from the top. Explain this slowly to me." The bright, bouncing light said.

END FLASHBACK FOUR

"So I explained the curse and a lot of other stuff to Witchy, and it decided that as long as I do have the ability to turn into a female that it wasn't too bad. But," Ranma said looking at the Witchblade "it keeps thinking of how to get me wet more then usual, and how to lock me without my finding out it did it." She said darkly.

"So this thing is intelligent, prefers your girl side, and wants you to stay that way as much as possible?" Nabiki asked. Ranma nodded. "Is that why you're female at the moment?" she asked.

"Nah," Ranma started. "I'm a girl now because of an arrangement I came to with the Amazons." Ranma said.

"What arrangement is that?" Nabiki asked.

"They didn't want to be embarrassed by the world seeing that their Queen is really a King, so I told them I'd be a girl in public as much as possible, if I could be a guy in private." Ranma said.

"Why do I feel there's more to it then that?" Nabiki asked.

"Because there is, Nabiki." Cologne laughed "Let me tell you how things went when Ranma awoke." She said.

"You wouldn't." Nair and Rug said shocked.

"Yes I would. This is more fun than I've had in ages, you old hags!" Cologne said to Rug and Nair.

"Your Majesty!" Nair protested to Ranma.

Ramna ignored Nair and said "If you want to take over the telling of the story, be my guest, my food's getting cold." Ranma said, digging into her food.

Royal permission given, Cologne started to talk while Rug and Nair looked on in the shock that their Queen would allow this to happen.

START FLASHBACK FIVE

Ranma awoke in a lavishly decorated hut, with Akane, Shampoo, Cologne and the other counsel members hovering over her. "How are you your Majesty?" Shampoo asked in mandarin, barely covering her giggles.

"Yes your Majesty, how do you feel?" Cologne asked, not bothering to cover her wide smile.

"Ok what the hell's going on? Why did I have to spend so much time in my head explaining how I'm not a girl to a freaking gauntlet?" Ranma shouted.

"It spoke to you? What did it say?" Rug asked, hopping for the best. She did not get it.

"The stupid thing said that as long as I had the capacity to be a female, it's alright because I'm still the best bearer it's had in a long ass time. Stupid Witchy!" Ranma shouted at the gauntlet.

Rug sighed "So the Queen's gauntlet has chosen." As the Amazons got to their knees they said in unison "Long live Queen Ranma!"

Ranma's left eye started twitching. "Ok, what's going on here?" she asked deadly calm.

"It's simple oh great Queen." Cologne said, trying not to snicker. "The other elders used what we use to determine a new Queen of the Amazons as your test to enter the tribe, for it has been known to, violently reject, unworthy candidates, so violently at times that no one has dared try to don it for a few hundred years. In fact there never has been a Queen, for no one has ever met it approval. And since legend says only the greatest of female warriors may wear it, well they thought it would kill you or something. They never saw this one coming!"

Ranma looked at the other council members and said "We'll talk later." Turning to Cologne she asked "Ok so if I'm the Queen, what the heck am I supposed to do?"

Cologne looked surprised "You're going to do it?" She asked shocked.

"Not like I have a lot of choice, now do I? It's not like I can give Witchy back, and I did come here to join the tribe, I just got a slightly different position then I expected." Ranma said sighing "Besides, I really doubt that you gals would just let me get out of this with out a serious fight." Ranma then sighed again. "So what do I have to do to be Queen?"

END FLASHBACK FIVE

"Wow, Ranma just agreed to be the Queen? That so unlike him, uh her." Nabiki said, changing gender pronoun upon seeing the looks on the Amazons faces.

Cologne went "Yes, yes it was."

"Hey!" Ranma said from behind her food "I really didn't have a choice on the matter and I knew it. Stupid Witchy chose me as it's bearer, and the Amazons think that makes me their Queen. Even I'm not stupid enough to try to change an Amazons mind, let alone the entire tribes! I just made the best of the situation as I could." Ranma said, going back to her food.

"Really, how did you make the best of it?" Nabiki asked.

"Well," Akane said "For one thing, they wanted to lock Ranma, but Ranma put a stop to that. Though Ranma did agree to spend all the time he could in public and with the tribe as a female, and they agreed to let him be male during his private time, like when he's not in public or with the tribe or things like that."

"Any thing else?" Nabiki asked leaning forward "Yeah, lots of thing." Ranma said. "Look we really don't have the time to go over everything that happened if we want to get to bed tonight. I am so not looking forward to going to school tomorrow as a girl, with a stupid honor guard, and being asked a whole bunch of dumb questions. So if you don't mind, I'm going to bed." Ranma said standing up, and then leaving the table.

"Thank you for the wonderful meal Kasumi." Cologne said singling the other advisers it was time to leave, then they left through the front door.

AN: I think this will be the last chapter that tells the story through flash backs for a while. It's getting harder to do it. So next chapter we pick up in real time I think.


End file.
